Rutgers Football: Loss To Tulane Brings Out More (And Same) Questions About 2010

     The broken record keeps playing.  Another home loss to an equal non-conference opponent.  A loss that leaves people leaving the stadium early because the fan base is quickly losing faith in the regime.  A regime that keeps telling that fan base that Rutger Football is a national program on the verge of being a power.  A program that feels it is justified in raising ticket and parking prices every year because it wins non-holiday bowl games over teams like FA, or Ball State. 

     Every season since the 2006 miracle year has had the same questions, and results.   This year, 2010 might have worst results than that.  Results that might have us wishing for that small bowl to watch while wrapping our holiday gifts this year.  

     For starters,  RU fans have not seen an offense this bad since the early days of Schiano's regime.  QB Tom Savage is struggling with not only his inconsistent play, but injuries that have obviously hampered his progress as a young starter in the Big East.   The O-line is a work in progress.  But if it does not improve soon, QBs will be dropping like flies as the teeth of the Big East schedule starts soon.   The running game is a ramshackle collection of back-ups who have not been able to take the reigns from Brian Leonard, and Ray Rice.  Most "big" programs (as RU claims that it is all the time) replaces their big time running backs year after year.  These programs stay as powers in NCAA football because of their ability to recruit big time high school runners year after year.   Rutgers has not been able to do this.  A sign that they have not achieved that national status as Greg Schiano claims.  RB Jersey Joe Martinek is a local fan favorite.  He runs with heart and grit.  But he is not Ray Rice., he is not Brian Leonard.  

     This leads to the inevitable problem that most football teams with bad offenses have.  The problem of draining their defence dry during a game, and season because the offence cannot score, or even hold on the ball for an extended period of time for that matter.   This leads to fatigue causing bad tackling and penalties.  Bad penalties that extend the time the offense cannot get the ball to try to win.  The one thing that could be considered a bright spot on this team is the special teams.  The punting game has been excellent.  PK San San Te has improved in a big way. 

     But one phase of the team playing well out of 3 will not get this program it's first Big East Championship.  A championship that is sorely needed not only for recruiting purposes., but to also justify the 102 million dollar stadium remodel that has caused ticket and parking prices to rise out of control in this writers opinion.  

     It took decades for top high schools players in this state to even listen to an RU recruit.  Now it will only take months for them to "stop" listening.  It took decades to fill this stadium with loud fans who not only buy tickets and parking, but also jerseys, hats, and t-shirts proudly letting everyone know that they root for NJ's team.  But it will only take months for those fans to stop paying for what they might conceive as a fly-by-night fad they enjoyed for a few seasons.